Beckham off to Netanya?

by: Tomer Ganor, Ynetnews.com - Last
updated: 2006-10-30

David Beckham

Could David Beckham be on his way to play Netanya? If it were up to Maccabi Netanya owner Daniel Yamer, the deal would have been done already. However, it seems that a lot has to happen for that fantasy to come true.

According to the German newspaper Frankfurter Neue Presse, the German-Jewish owner of the Netanya soccer club offered to purchase the Real Madrid superstar who has been lingering on his team's bench for the better part of this season.

The report also says that Yamer had launched a formal request to the club, offering to buy his playing card for an estimated 7.5 million euros. Just to for perspective, Real Madrid purchased Beckham from Manchester United for 35 million euros in 2003, but today he is having a hard time finding his place in the team and does not get many playing minutes.

According to the report, Real Madrid has been intending to sell Beckham, who was until recently the captain of the English National squad, but is now looking like someone who is closer to retirement than to his peak as one of the best playmakers in the world.

However, the report states, it is highly unlikely that his wife and former spice girl Victoria Adams will agree to raise her three children in a country with bombings and terrorism such as Israel.

Yamer responded to the reports and said that "my friends, serious businessmen and owners of a big company in Germany raised the idea to bring him. They said that they will be able to put up all of the money for the deal because they will be able to use this him as a marketing tool to promote just about anything.

"They asked me for my opinion, and I said I didn't think the deal will work out and it sounds like a crazy idea, but they are very serious and I said that the Netanya fans and I would love to see him on our team"

Yamer added that Beckham also needs to be seen as a marketing tool, not only as a soccer player.

"This is what is leading my friends. I will be happy if he will arrive in Israel, because the image of the Israel will not only have to be negative," he said.

It is needless to say that if Beckham ever plays for Maccabi Netanya, he will be the best soccer player to ever step on the pitch with an Israeli team.

Beckham's way to the "Diamond City," however, may be a far fantasy. A quick search of the Internet reveals that almost every team out there sees itself as a natural destination for the declining superstar.

Totenham, Aston Villa, from the English Premier League and teams from Italy and the United States have all been mentions as possible destinations.

It seems that if Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz Beckham will run on the Netanya boardwalk, it will be on a family vacation, and not waiting for dad David to finish the morning practice at "the Box" the city stadium of Netanya.